Bary took the dual Group 1 winner Recite back for another crack at the race in 2016 but experienced despair as he watched the mare break a leg during the running of the race which necessitated in her having to be put down.
"That would have to rate as the lowest point in my career," Bary said this week.
"She was a real gem of a horse and was owned by The Oaks Stud. They not only lost what would have been a very valuable broodmare but we also lost one of the best horses we've had around the stable and it affected everyone."
Bary went back to Te Aroha 12 months ago to try and win the race with Miss Wilson. He thought he had her at peak fitness after she was coming off a last start win in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham three weeks before but she could only manage fourth.
That was a learning curve for Bary who realised that Miss Wilson was best when kept fresh and was not a great traveller.
"She always races well fresh up but travel is the toughest thing with her and something we have to try and keep on top of," Bary sad.
"She doesn't travel that well but, in saying that, she was good last weekend. We stayed at Valachi Downs Stud at Matamata and she settled in well there and was perfect on race day."
Miss Wilson was having her first start since finishing an unlucky third over 1400m at Hastings on March 1 with Bary opting to bypass this year's Cuddle Stakes on March 17 to keep the freshness in her legs.
Bary engaged Vinnie Volgan to ride Miss Wilson last Saturday as Opie Bosson, who had ridden the mare to a third at Hastings at her previous start, was across the Tasman competing in Sydney.
Colgan settled the mare perfectly in the trail behind the tearaway pacemakers Ruud Not Too and Nicoletta before bring her out to lodge a claim at the top of the home straight. The Stratum mare shot to the front soon after and held out a late challenge from Thee Auld Floozie to win by half a length.
The victory brought up John Bary's ninth Group 1 success from nine seasons as a public trainer. His first win was when Neversaynever took out a 1400m maiden race at Gisborne in November 2008 and he chalked up his first Group 1 success when Jimmy Choux took out the New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November, 2010.
Jimmy Choux went on to record another four Group 1 victories, in the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie, Rosehill Guineas in Sydney and both the Windsor Park Plate and New Zealand Bloodstock Spring Classic at Hastings.
Recite credited Bary with two Group 1 victories when taking out the 2013 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni and 2014 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham while his other success at the elite level was with Survived in the 2013 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings.
Miss Wilson's Group 1 success last Saturday is also a major triumph for her Havelock North owner-breeders Richard and Liz Wood.
The couple bred the five-year-old out of the Centaine mare Cierzo and she is a half-sister to Jimmy Choux, who won them 12 races in total and more than $3.6million in stakemoney.
Bary said Miss Wilson may now run in the Group 3 ISCL Rotorua Stakes (1400m) on May 12 but won't be campaigned at this year's Queensland winter carnival.
"We're going to look at Rotorua as it's another weight-for-age race for fillies and mares but it all depends on the weather," Bary said.
"She needs a good track and if the weather packs up then we won't start and she can go out for a spell.
"We did have a look at Australia and there are some nice fillies and mares races in Queensland but most of them are at set weights and penalties and that wouldn't suit her."
Ormsby's run continues
Waipukurau racehorse owner Michael Ormsby's successful run has continued as he is a shareholder in Ristretto, an impressive debut winner at New Plymouth on Thursday of last week.
Ormsby has raced horses for many years and nowadays concentrates on taking up shares in syndicates run by the Te Akau operation. He is member of the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate that races this season's outstanding two-year-old Avantage, winner of five races including the Karaka Million and the recent Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
Ormsby is also a shareholder in the Te Akau Double Shot Syndicate that races the two-year-old filly Ristretto from the Matamata stable of Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.
The Makfi filly showed glimpses of her ability when winning two barrier trials last month, at Taupo and Cambridge, and was sent out a raging hot favourite for her debut run over 1100m at New Plymouth. Singapore-born jockey Shafiq Rusof bounced the filly straight to the front and she never looked like getting beaten, crossing the line three-quarters of a length in front of the opposition.
Ristretto is out of the Lonhro mare Espresso Cavallo and was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $115,000 at last November's Ready To Run two-year-old sale at Karaka. She is closely related to Fantastic Owners, who was the winner of eight races and successful in both Australia and Singapore.
Owners & breeders function
The Hawke's Bay Racehorse Owners Association and the Hawke's Bay/Poverty Bay Thoroughbred Breeders will stage their annual members' day function in the Karamu/Estella lounge at the Hastings racecourse on Saturday, April 28.
Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by April 20. Racehorse owners can ring Tony Lyndon on 8768250 while thoroughbred breeders can reply to Sharyn Craig on 027 4999084.
Dee on Kiwi cup hope
Former Hastings apprentice Michael Dee will team up with the New Zealand-trained Five To Midnight in tomorrow's Group 1 $A2million Sydney Cup at Randwick.
Dee started out as a probationary apprentice in the stable of Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen before a stint with Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers. He then ventured across the Tasman and completed his apprenticeship with Caulfield trainer Mick Price.
Dee picked up his second Group 1 success a fortnight ago when he rode the Price-trained Hiyaam to win the $A500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill and he will again team up with that High Chaparral filly in tomorrow's Group 1$A1million Australian Oaks (2400m).
Five To Midnight is prepared by Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta. He was second in the Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m) two starts back before a last start second in the Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) on his home track.
The connections of Five To Midnight had an added incentive for aiming the stayer at tomorrow's Sydney Cup.
He will claim a A$100,000 bonus for the owners and A$50,000 to trainer Lisa Latta if he wins or runs a place.
Five To Midnight qualified for the bonus by finishing runner-up in last month's Auckland Cup (3200m). He is one of three New Zealand-trained horses in tomorrow's Sydney Cup, the others being Sir Charles Road and Zacada.
Promising Sydney apprentice Andrew Adkins has been confirmed as the rider for Sir Charles Road while Dean Holland will ride Zacada.
Blake Shinn was successful aboard Sir Charles Road in the Group 2 Chairman's Quality (2600m) at Randwick last Saturday, but he is unable to make this weekend's weight of 50kg.
Easter target for All Roads
The Group 2 $100,000 Easter Handicap (1600m) at Pukekohe on April 21 is the main goal for the talented All Roads, a horse that was bred by Hawke's Bay's Don Gordon and now raced by the All Roads Syndicate.
The six-year-old Road To Rock gelding was unplaced when resuming his New Zealand career at Te Aroha last Saturday, but the outing will significantly improve him.
All Roads won six races, including the Group 2 Japan/New Zealand Trophy (1600m), before a stint with Chris Waller in Sydney where he finished fourth in the Group 1 Cantala Stakes (1600m).
"He's loving being home," trainer Tony Cole said. "He lightened up after his last run in Perth so the syndicate decided to bring him home."
